The present invention relates to life saving devices and method for use in high-rise buildings to escape the heat and smoke of a fire.
Each year, a substantial number of fires occur in high-rise buildings, even those meeting state and local fire codes. As a result, many persons have been killed or seriously injured due to burns, smoke inhalation, or from falls caused by jumping out of windows or off balconies to escape the fire. Typically, it is difficult to upgrade the fire safety of existing high-rise buildings because such upgrading often requires extensive structural modifications. Of course, such structural modifications may be avoided by installing fire escape devices, such as ladders and poles, on the exterior of the buildings. One such fire escape device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,901, issued to Hynes. Building owners, however, have been reluctant to mount fire escape devices on the outside of their buildings, apparently because they protrude therefrom, and thus, are aesthetically displeasing. Moreover, such devices may tend to deteriorate rapidly due to exposure to the outside environment, and therefore, they may not function properly in an emergency. Furthermore, the prior art devices are typically not readily accessible, and thus, are difficult to use, particularly for disabled persons.